Aging Super Star.

The aging super star had an injury plagued sub-par regular season.  His post season performances over many years have consistently been far below his regular season accomplishments.

He is striking out more than usual.  In the seven game post season series what should his manager do with him:
- bench
- drop lower in the lineup
- pinch hit?

What to do about Alex Rodriguez?  No, what to do about Joe DiMaggio in 1951?

Prior to 1951 DiMaggio had more career home runs than strike outs.  In 1951: 12 HR, 36 SO.  DiMaggio's batting average (BA) equaled the league BA with pitchers batting.  It was Joe D's final season.

During the regular season in games that he started, DiMaggio batted fourth in 108 and fifth in five games.  Yankee manager Casey Stengel did not humiliate DiMaggio by dropping him too low.

In the 1951 World Series the Yankees played the New York Giants.  DiMaggio had hit well in the 1950 WS: .308 BA, .471 OBP, .615 SLG; one double, one HR.  But that was unusual for DiMaggio.  His career WS numbers including 1951 v. regular season:

BA .271/.325
OBP .338/.398
SLG .422/.579
OPS .760/.977

Ouch.  And all 8 of his WS HR were on the road.  Why don't we hear more about this?  Because the Yankees won 9 of the 10 WS in which DiMaggio played.

In 1951 DiMaggio's numbers:
first half: 206 PA, .806 OPS
second half: 276 PA, .772 OPS

OPS:
July .748
August .738
September .787

DiMaggio had one and only one hit in each of his final seven 1951 regular season games in 29 AB: six singles and a home run.  The fading DiMaggio was on a seven game hitting streak.

Stengel had dropped DiMaggio from fourth to fifth for five consecutive games: Sept. 16 through 20.  The first two were crucial in the pennant race against first place Cleveland.  Joe went 4 for 19: 2 singles, double, triple.

Top of the order Sept. 16:
Mantle
Collins
McDougald
Berra
DiMaggio

Yanks beat Cleveland 22 game winner Bob Feller 5-1 at the Stadium before 68,760 to pull ahead of Cleveland.  The next day same top five as the Yanks beat another Hall of Fame Cleveland pitcher, Bob Lemon 2-1.

Against White Sox lefty Billy Pierce the Yanks lost 7-1; Cleveland beat Boston:
Mantle
Rizzuto
McDougald
Berra
DiMaggio

Yanks beat White Sox 5-3; Cleveland beat Boston:
Mantle
Collins
McDougald
Berra
DiMaggio

Yanks beat White Sox 5-4; Cleveland did not play:
Mantle
Collins
McDougald
Berra
DiMaggio

DiMaggio returned to the cleanup spot for the remainder of his career.  Next game:

Yanks beat Red Sox 5-1 at Fenway Park; Cleveland lost to Detroit:
Mantle
Rizzuto
Berra
DiMaggio
McDougald

1951 WS:

Thursday, October 4, 1951, Yankee Stadium Attendance: 65,673
Giants beat Yankees 5-1
Mantle
Rizzuto
Bauer
DiMaggio 0 for 4
Berra

Friday, October 5, 1951, Yankee Stadium Attendance: 66,018
Yankees beat Giants 3-1
Mantle (injured; out for WS)
Rizzuto
McDougald
DiMaggio 0 for 3; SO; GDP
Berra

Saturday, October 6, 1951, Polo Grounds Attendance: 52,035
Giants beat Yankees 6-2, lead WS 2-1
Woodling
Rizzuto
McDougald
DiMaggio 0 for 4; SO
Berra

Yanks are down 2-1 in games, on the road and cleanup batter DiMaggio is hitless (0 for 11) with two SO.  Remember, in 1941 DiMaggio had 13 SO for the entire season.  If Stengel was going to bench his unproductive super star it would have been for the next game.

Monday, October 8, 1951, Polo Grounds Attendance: 49,010
Yankees beat Giants 6-2; WS tied 2-2
Bauer
Rizzuto
Berra
DiMaggio 2 for 5; 2 SO; Run, 2 RBI, HR
Woodling
Yanks led 2-1 in 5th when DiMaggio hits 2 run HR off 23 game winner Sal Maglie.

Tuesday, October 9, 1951, Polo Grounds Attendance: 47,530
Yankees beat Giants 13-1, lead WS 3-2
Woodling
Rizzuto
Berra
DiMaggio 3 for 5; Run, 3 RBI, 2B
Mize

Wednesday, October 10, 1951, Yankee Stadium Attendance: 61,711
Yankees beat Giants 4-3 to win WS 4-2
Rizzuto
Coleman
Berra
DiMaggio 1 for 2; Run, 2 IW, 2B
McDougald

First inning DiMaggio IW to load bases; McDougald SF; 1-0 Yanks.
Sixth  inning DiMaggio IW with one out, Berra on second; Yanks score three, lead 4-1.

Eighth inning DiMaggio leads off with double off new pitcher 23 game winner Larry Jansen.

Casey Stengel had every reason to bench his aging super star after game two and certainly after game three but he chose to stick with DiMaggio.  Why?  Maybe Stengel believed in DiMaggio.  Maybe Stengel was concerned about the press, Yankee management, the fans, Yankee players.  Who knows? Stengel and DiMaggio were not close. If anything Stengel resented DiMaggio and his dominant position on the Yankees.  Maybe Stengel was even a little intimidated.

Ironically, future all time great Mickey Mantle, a rookie, may have helped to save DiMaggio.  Mantle was injured in game two on a fly hit by fellow rookie Willie Mays that was caught by DiMaggio.  It limited Stengel's options, maybe just long enough for DiMaggio to start hitting in games 4,5,6.